To OP I have dealt with the same digestive issues concerning whey for years. I started drinking egg whites with oatmeal and huge difference. I mean a difference I see in my muscle tone. Its remarkable. Hate to say it but whey shakes are basically worthless for our uses. Perhaps just as something to get you from one meal.to another but not day in day out. You are losing muscle if you do. The best theory I have seen is that when you eat meat your body recognizes the proteins and kicks out anabolic growth factors or something. Perhaps thats true, maybe there is more to the story. Regardless, Ive tried to live on whey or a half whey diet and i always look like crap after a little while. It is what it is. Now I drink only hydrolyzed whey immediately post workout with karbolyn but even then I add a serving of aminos that gives me 5grams of leuceine to kickstart anabolism because i find even hydrolyzed whey doesnt do much on its own. That could actually make a impact for you a positive one, try taking in 5g leuceine with your shakes see if your.muscles get fuller. Worth a shot. But dieting like you are I have.mixed feelings about (mostly negative.) If only it were so easy lol.